Ageless Youth and Youthful Age
by Warrior orb5
Summary: Jareth has spent decades watching Sarah live her live and has finally decided to let her go. Bittersweet ahead, you have been warned.


Disclaimer: Baring some ridiculous turn of events I still don't own Labyrinth.

A/N: If anybody came expecting more of my usual fluffy or comedy or adventure then you may want to turn right around, this is a sad head-canon of mine that I needed to write out into fanfiction form. If you want to suffer with me then feel free to proceed.

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Jareth stared into a crystal he had conjured. It was Sarah he was looking at but she was completely different from what he remembered from their previous and only meeting. She was a women now. No longer wearing costume jewelry and flowy clothes reminiscent of his own world's style, she wore a simple green dress while sitting with her head resting in her hand nearly dosing off with a book in front of her.

She had grown up while he had remained the same. Years had passed for both of them, yes, but while she had lived her life in the years spending her time loving, learning, and exploring he had remained static and trapped in his own kingdom.

He looked at her peaceful face in jealousy and his frown became just slightly more pronounced. She was still beautiful to him despite just over two decades of time having passed since her time in the labyrinth. Wrinkles only just barely beginning to show on her checks. He recalled that humans called those 'laugh lines' and that humans got them when they spent a lot of time smiling.

He smiled lightly thinking about that. Thinking that she has been spending her life happily even if he wasn't a part of it made this so much easier for him.

Jareth had decided that he couldn't keep checking in on Sarah anymore. Right after she had beaten his labyrinth he had assumed that she would realize that he hadn't said what he had to trick her but because he meant it and call him back. He had, in those early years, spent a lot of time thinking of elaborate ways to sweep her off her feet when she eventually called on him again. Sometime when Sarah was in her late twenties he began to worry that she may not call him back. Especially when she had met a man she began to date at twenty-six.

That had made him furious. What could possibly posses her to pick that human man over him? He had offered her everything and and she rejected him but this human man had succeeded where he had failed.

Jareth still watched Sarah for a few more years until she had actually gotten married to the man. Out of anger and powerlessness he stopped watching her for four years and focused on improving his labyrinth.

When he finally looked into a crystal to see what had happened to her over the time he had not been watching over her he saw her and the man who was now her husband with a beautiful little girl.

The intense jealousy Jareth felt about not being the father was almost unbearable. However, the longer he watched the young family the less bitter he became and he even felt a measure of happiness for Sarah and her loved ones.

He had since then been looking into their lives less and less. He couldn't bring himself to hate the husband and he didn't resent Sarah for her decision anymore. He was also quite amused at the shock on her face when her daughter brought home a copy of the very same book that she had read at her age.

While he no longer had any power over Sarah he could still influence some things Aboveground. When Sarah had taken the book and given her daughter one that was more, 'age appropriate,' as she had rationalized he had decided not to interfere anymore. He watched her as she stared at the book for nearly an hour before putting it on the back of the shelf in her closet with a light nostalgic smile. He was sure that his expression matched hers.

Now he watched her for what he decided was the last time. Her daughter had gone off to college and her husband was often away on business. It didn't seem to bother Sarah terribly as she spent most of her alone-time reading and writing in the solitude of her home. Jareth sometimes wondered if she ever thought of her time in his labyrinth or if she had completely left it in the past. She suddenly closed the book she had open surprising him slightly with the expression of resolve etched on her face. He watched curiously as she went to her room and took the copy of "The Labyrinth," that her daughter had found so many years ago. Jareth watched in silence as she reread the book and eventually closed it and moved to sit in front of the mirror.

He felt a pang of jealousy but rationalized to himself, "Of course she'll want to talk to her old friends again."

She looked conflicted for a few minutes before asking in an even voice, "Goblin King, are you there?"

He wasn't entirely sure how to respond but he quickly appeared to her in the mirror. He was sure that other than his clothes he looked the exact same to her as he had when he first appeared,

"Its been a long time Precious," he pointed out.

Sarah smiled at him and he couldn't remember a single time when she had looked any more perfect. He appeared behind her and she turned around and stood to face him.

"It has, hasn't it?" she replied without changing her expression.

Jareth attempted some form of composure and raised one eyebrow while asking, "You don't seem like you're about to wish away anymore children so I assume you have another motive for calling to me."

Sarah laughed and then replied, "You're right, I just wanted to thank you for what you did for me when I was a kid."

He couldn't keep his shock completely hidden and she smiled even more, "I never would have been the person I am now if it wasn't for the time that I had spent in your labyrinth so, thank you."

Jareth smiled in return at her honesty, "So, there's nothing you would do differently?"

He conjured a crystal in his hand and held it out to her before he had even realized it himself and continued, "I just may be convinced to reorder time for you once more if you were reconsidering any offers that you had declined."

Sarah shook her head, "I still wouldn't have done a single thing differently."

Jareth know she was going to say that but it still stung.

"This isn't going to be a habit is it Precious?" Jareth asked with some semblance of a smirk, "You inviting me into your bedroom, people will talk."

Sarah giggled like she was sixteen and not in her late forties, "Of course not, we wouldn't want to start some sort of scandal."

Jareth tried to memorize every detail about her at that moment before saying seriously, "I'm really not coming back again Precious."

"I understand," she said while reaching one hand out to cup his face.

He put a hand over hers, "I'm happy that you've lived your life even if I couldn't be a part of it."

He felt Sarah wipe one of his tears away and realized that he was crying.

"I never forgot, you know," she told him while blinking back tears of her own,

He wasn't sure how well she would react but he pulled her into an embrace and rested his chin in the crook of her neck.

"And I'll never forget about you Precious." he told her while brushing some hair behind her ear.

Eventually he pulled away and released her. It felt so good to finally have her in his arms and moving away from her almost physically hurt him but he did so and stood before her once more.

"Goodbye Jareth," she said while handing him the copy of the book from her childhood.

He took it and managed a smile for her sake, "Such a pity, you really would have made an excellent Goblin Queen."

He turned away from her and vanished back through the mirror.

Jareth managed to keep himself from watching her through a crystal and resolved to leave her alone from now on as he had originally planned.

He looked at the book in his hands instead. He opened it and saw the pages frayed and little annotations she had when she was younger.

Jareth put the book on a shelf and walked to the window to watch the sunset by himself while wondering if Sarah was doing the same.

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A/N: So, yeah. I made myself cry. I actually had this titled on my computer "Sadfic why would I do this to myself?"

Happy Thanksgiving.


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